Gregory Spawton

Last updated
Gregory Spawton
Big Big Train live at the Town Hall, Birmingham (49008830752) (cropped).jpg
Spawton with Big Big Train in 2019.
Background information
Born (1965-05-17) May 17, 1965 (age 58)
Origin Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, England
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Songwriter
  • musician
Instrument(s)
  • Bass
  • guitar
  • keyboards
Years active1980s–present
Labels
Member of Big Big Train
Formerly ofEquus
Spouse(s)
Kathryn Spawton
​
(m. 2015)​
Website www.bigbigtrain.com/greg-spawton/

Gregory Spawton (born May 17, 1965) [1] is an English musician and songwriter, best known as the bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and founder of English progressive rock band Big Big Train.

Contents

Early life

Spawton was brought up in Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands. [2] The first prog album he heard was Selling England by the Pound by Genesis, which belonged to his brother Nigel, when he was 12. [2] The first album he bought was Pawn Hearts by Van der Graaf Generator. [2] He also saw Steve Hackett on his Defector tour in 1980. [2] A heavy influence of his is Peter Hammill. [2]

Before Big Big Train, Spawton was in a band called Equus, which played some shows around Sutton Coldfield in the early 80s. [3]

Career

Spawton circa 1997 Greg recording English Boy Wonders.jpg
Spawton circa 1997

Spawton moved to Bournemouth in 1987 [2] after graduating from the Reading University. [3] with a degree in archaeology. He formed Big Big Train with Andy Poole in 1990, taking on the role of lead guitarist. They were soon joined by Poole's friend, Ian Cooper, on keyboards, Steve Hughes on drums, and Canadian vocalist Martin Read, [4] who also played acoustic guitar. [5]

Their debut album, Goodbye to the Age of Steam , was released in 1994, with Spawton writing or co-writing all the tracks. [6] He also filled the role of keyboardist after the departure of Cooper for sessions of 1997's English Boy Wonders , before Tony Müller joined as Cooper's replacement for a rare live show at the Astoria, London. [4]

Big Big Train became an independent band after their label GEP dropped them due to disappointing sales. [4] They continued and released Bard , in February 2002. [4] They also released Gathering Speed (2004) and The Difference Machine (2007) with new vocalist Sean Filkins. [4] The former is the only album not to feature any songs solely written by Spawton, and the latter feature guest appearances from Nick D'Virgilio and Dave Meros of Spock's Beard, Pete Trewavas of Marillion, [7] and Mike Holmes of IQ also having some involvement. [8]

Spawton (middle) in 2009. BBT June 09.jpg
Spawton (middle) in 2009.

In 2009, the band had a fresh start with Sean Filkins and Steve Hughes leaving and being replaced by David Longdon and Nick D'Virgilio. [4] Their resulting breakout album, The Underfall Yard , included Spawton taking up the role of guitarist, keyboardist and bass, with Poole playing additional keyboards and bass. [9] The album also featured Dave Gregory of XTC on guitars, sitar, Mellotron, with Jem Godfrey playing a synth solo and Francis Dunnery playing a guitar solo on the titular track. [10] The album also featured a four-piece brass section and Jon Foyle on cello. [9] Spawton wrote all tracks on The Underfall Yard. [9]

Dave Gregory joined the band full time to work on their follow-up albums English Electric Part One and Two.

Spawton (left) and Dave Gregory performing with Big Big Train 2019 Big Big Train live at the Town Hall, Birmingham (49008830217).jpg
Spawton (left) and Dave Gregory performing with Big Big Train 2019

The band rehearsed for possible future live performances at Real World Studios with new members keyboardist Danny Manners, violinist Rachel Hall (ex-Stackridge) and guitarist/keyboardist Rikard Sjöblom (Beardfish). [4] [11] This line-up continued and released Folklore (2016), Grimspound (2017) and The Second Brightest Star (2017) before Poole departed in January 2018, [12] with Robin Armstrong joining on tour in his place. [13] Spawton has played bass on Armstrong's album, The Man Left In Space with Cosmograf. [14] They released Grand Tour in 2019, which was the last for Hall, Manners and Gregory who all departed in 2020. [15]

Spawton played bass and bass pedals on Between A Breath And A Breath by Judy Dyble and David Longdon in 2020. [16]

The band was rebuilt with Dave Foster (guitars), Carly Bryant (vocals & keyboards) and new violinist Clare Lindley (also ex Stackridge). The former two had performed on Common Ground (2021) and all performed on Welcome to the Planet (2022) which was the last of new material to feature David Longdon, who died in November 2021. [17]

The band has since continued with lead vocalist Alberto Bravin, [18] whom Spawton had seen performing with Premiata Forneria Marconi in 2015 in Camden Town, London. [19]

Spawton played bass on Butterfly Mind (2022) by Tim Bowness. [20] He also played 12-string guitar on David Longdon's posthumus album Door One. [21]

Personal life

Spawton has two children — Ellie (born in 1994) and John (born in 1996). He married his wife, Kathryn, in April 2015. [22]

Spawton has written songs about his childhood including his mother, and father, whom he had a fractured relationship with before his death. [23]

He worked as a specialist on homelessness until 2016, when Big Big Train's success made him able to become a full-time musician. [3]

Discography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big Big Train</span> English progressive rock band

Big Big Train are an English progressive rock band formed in Bournemouth in 1990. The current line-up includes band founder Gregory Spawton, along with Nick D'Virgilio, Rikard Sjöblom, Dave Foster (guitars), Clare Lindley, Alberto Bravin and Oskar Holldorff. Until 2009, the band were active as a predominantly studio project led by Spawton and co-founder Andy Poole, who departed the band in 2018, with changing line-ups and guest musicians. They have released fourteen studio albums and six EPs.

<i>The Difference Machine</i> 2007 studio album by Big Big Train

The Difference Machine is the fifth studio album by the English progressive rock band Big Big Train. It was released on 30 August 2007, by English Electric Recordings. TDM is a concept album exploring chaos theory, communication, failure, death, loss, and bereavement. The story is of the death of an individual, which was linked to an exploding star in a distant galaxy. There are more influences of Van der Graaf Generator, Genesis, Mew, Sigur Rós and King Crimson throughout the album.

<i>Goodbye to the Age of Steam</i> 1994 studio album by Big Big Train

Goodbye To The Age of Steam is the debut studio album by the English progressive rock band, Big Big Train. It was released in 1994, by Giant Electric Pea. On the official BBT website, Spawton has revealed that "much of the album was about how people lose their way in their lives; about the tightrope we all walk every day. The album title wasn't linked to this, but it conveyed a feeling of pathos which fitted the mood of the songs."

<i>The Underfall Yard</i> 2009 studio album by Big Big Train

The Underfall Yard is the sixth studio album by the English progressive rock band Big Big Train, and their first to feature vocalist and multi-instrumentalist David Longdon. It was released on 15 December 2009, by English Electric Recordings.

<i>English Electric Part One</i> 2012 studio album by Big Big Train

English Electric Part One is the seventh studio album by the English progressive rock band Big Big Train. It was released on 3 September 2012, by English Electric Recordings and GEP.

<i>English Electric Part Two</i> 2013 studio album by Big Big Train

English Electric Part Two is the eighth studio album by the English progressive rock band Big Big Train. It was released on 4 March 2013, by English Electric Recordings and GEP.

<i>Wassail</i> (EP) 2015 EP by Big Big Train

Wassail is the third official studio EP by the English progressive rock band Big Big Train. It was released on 1 June 2015 by English Electric Recordings and Burning Shed. It contains three new songs and a live bonus track that originally appeared on The Underfall Yard. The title track also appears on the band's next full-length studio album, Folklore, released the following year, while the other two new songs are included only on the double-LP vinyl release of that album.

<i>Far Skies Deep Time</i> 2010 EP by Big Big Train

Far Skies Deep Time is the first official studio EP by the English progressive rock band Big Big Train. It was released in 2010 by English Electric Recordings, and re-released in 2011 with "Kingmaker" replacing "Master of Time" as the first track. It contains five tracks, including a 17-minute epic about the last voyage of Belgian singer Jacques Brel.

<i>Make Some Noise</i> (EP) 2013 EP by Big Big Train

Make Some Noise is the second official studio EP by the English progressive rock band Big Big Train. It was released on 23 September 2013 by English Electric Recordings and Burning Shed. It contains four new tracks from the compilation album English Electric: Full Power, plus a selection of tracks from English Electric Part One and English Electric Part Two, two of which are edited versions.

<i>Folklore</i> (Big Big Train album) 2016 studio album by Big Big Train

Folklore is the ninth studio album by English progressive rock band Big Big Train. Released on 27 May 2016, it was recorded at English Electric Studios, produced by Big Big Train, and mixed and mastered at Aubitt Studios by Rob Aubrey. It is the first studio album to feature Rachel Hall and then-Beardfish lead vocalist Rikard Sjöblom as official members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Longdon</span> British multi-instrumentalist and singer (1965–2021)

David Longdon was a British singer and multi-instrumentalist, who was best known as the lead vocalist and co-songwriter of the progressive rock band Big Big Train. Besides singing, Longdon played flute, keyboards, acoustic and electric 6 & 12 string guitars, bass, mandolin, lute, banjo, accordion, percussion, dulcimer, psaltry, vibraphone, theremin and glockenspiel.

<i>Grimspound</i> (album) 2017 studio album by Big Big Train

Grimspound is the tenth studio album by the English progressive rock band Big Big Train. Released on 28 April 2017, it was recorded at English Electric Studios, produced by Big Big Train, and mixed and mastered at Aubitt Studios by Rob Aubrey.

<i>The Second Brightest Star</i> 2017 studio album by Big Big Train

The Second Brightest Star is the eleventh studio album by the English progressive rock band Big Big Train. It contains a mix of new songs along with re-worked material from the band's previous two albums, Folklore and Grimspound. It is the band's last album to feature co-founder Andy Poole who departed the band in January 2018.

<i>Merchants of Light</i> 2018 live album by Big Big Train

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<i>Grand Tour</i> (Big Big Train album) 2019 studio album by Big Big Train

Grand Tour is the twelfth studio album by the English progressive rock band Big Big Train. It contains all new songs unlike the previous, The Second Brightest Star. Thematically it broadens the lyrical landscape for the group into the European world, previously having a largely domestic British focus. It moves from English folklore and landscape, to the 17th and 18th century habit of well-to-do Europeans going on the 'Grand Tour' to experience a wider circle of art and science. It is the last studio album to feature band members Dave Gregory, Rachel Hall, and Danny Manners who left in 2020, and first without co-founder Andy Poole, who had departed in January 2018.

<i>Common Ground</i> (Big Big Train album) 2021 studio album by Big Big Train

Common Ground is the thirteenth studio album by the English progressive rock band Big Big Train, released on 30 July 2021. With the departure of Dave Gregory, Rachel Hall, and Danny Manners in 2020, Common Ground is the first album release with the core four-piece lineup of Greg Spawton, David Longdon, Nick D'Virgilio, and Rikard Sjöblom. Joining the core line-up on the album are session musicians Carly Bryant, Dave Foster, and Aidan O'Rourke. Upon release it entered the UK music charts at number 31.

<i>Ingenious Devices</i> 2023 studio album by Big Big Train

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References

  1. ↑ Janson, Tobbe (2015-05-17). "Happy Birthday, Greg!". Progarchy. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Moon, Grant (2016-11-28). "Big Big Train's Greg Spawton gives us a glimpse into his prog world". louder. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  3. 1 2 3 "The Band". Big Big Train. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "History". Big Big Train. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  5. ↑ Train, Big Big (2008-07-01), Live, 1998 , retrieved 2023-12-14
  6. ↑ "Goodbye to the Age of Steam". Big Big Train. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  7. ↑ "The Difference Machine". Big Big Train. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  8. ↑ Train, Big Big (2008-07-01), Mike Holmes and Rob , retrieved 2023-12-14
  9. 1 2 3 "The Underfall Yard". Big Big Train. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  10. ↑ The Underfall Yard (liner notes). English Electric Recordings. 2021. EERCD0027.
  11. ↑ "Big Big Train Recruit Beardfish's Sjoblom". beardfishband. January 8, 2014. Archived from the original on 15 April 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  12. ↑ Ewing, Jerry (2018-01-01). "Andy Poole To Leave Big Big Train". louder. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  13. ↑ Spawton, Greg (2018-02-27). "Robin Armstrong (Cosmograf) joins live line-up". Big Big Train. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  14. ↑ The Man Left In Space (liner notes). Cosmograf Music. 2013. COS04.
  15. ↑ "Rachel Hall and Danny Manners Depart Big Big Train". Big Big Train. 2020-12-03. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  16. ↑ Between A Breath And A Breath (liner notes). English Electric Recordings. 2020. EERCD0026.
  17. ↑ Snapes, Laura (2021-11-22). "David Longdon, frontman of prog rock band Big Big Train, dies aged 56". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  18. ↑ Ewing, Jerry (2022-04-27). "Big Big Train announce Alberto Bravin as new lead singer". louder. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
  19. ↑ Driessen, Alex (2022-08-28). "Alberto Bravin – Big Big Train". T P A. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
  20. ↑ Butterfly Mind (liner notes). Inside Out Music. 2022. IOM633.
  21. ↑ Door One (liner notes). Plane Groovy. 2022. PLG112.
  22. ↑ Osborne, Louise (2015-04-23). "Kathy & Gregory Wedding". Lou Osborne Photography. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
  23. ↑ "The Underfall Yard". Big Big Train. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
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